After the recent demise of Madiba and a careful study of his life and times, I have noticed some strands in his DNA similar to that of Dr. Tai Solarin.
Greatly loved and revered amongst his people, his lifestyle and teachings were unarguably those of someone who possesses a sound mind and has accomplished self-mastery.
After watching the movie Invictus over again, I realised that some of those words Dr. Tai was pumping into our little heads are the same ones Nelson Mandela was poring over and teaching his fellow in-mates at Robben Island.
I can clearly remember singing the wordings of Invictus poem It gives me impetus to dig into my memory and remind myself of the timeless teaching of Dr. Tai.
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
The celebration of the life of Mandela reflects the exemplary life of Oga Tasere as he was fondly called.
Surely, they were taking the same magic pills.
